Byline: JON FINE Magazines are approaching advertisers with mid-single-digit increases in advertising rates for 2003 roughly in line.

Byline: JON FINE

Magazines are approaching advertisers with mid-single-digit increases in advertising rates for 2003 roughly in line, if not a hair more aggressive, than they were last year at this time-before the facts of Sept. 11 significantly scrambled the equation.

Although it is early in the annual rate ritual, executives upon both sides of the negotiating table speak of a general status quo because of the realities of a sustained inert business environment. ''We're seeing moderate increases. Nothing unexpected'' said Eric